


Of Love

by hisloss



Series: Come With Me/ to the Sea [2]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Love Confessions, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-11
Updated: 2017-01-11
Packaged: 2018-09-16 19:50:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,265
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9287282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hisloss/pseuds/hisloss
Summary: A continuation of Like Father. Percy and Nico have been together for a while now, and Nico is starting to see that his crush on Percy is running a lot deeper than he thought it would.





	

Nico waited impatiently for the waves to part. Percy had been gone for days, but Jason had sent word that his quest was over. Nico had rushed through his regular chores in the Underworld and practically clawed his way out of the ground near the beach where his boyfriend returned after every quest. Nico’s ears burned. His  _ boyfriend _ . He and Percy were  _ dating _ . He still had trouble believing it. But they’d been going solid for almost three months now, as solid as two demigods with so much responsibility could. They barely saw each other. Percy was in charge of a lot of problems that occurred under every sea and even had to deal with minor lake goddesses and creek gods. Nico spent his days gathering souls and overseeing them in the Field of Punishment and had to check up on paperwork sorting them into rebirth and approving passage to Elysium. 

 

When they  _ did  _ see each other, they mostly sat on the beach in front of a bonfire. They’d had two of what Nico would call official dates, one to a carnival in Santa Monica and one to dinner in Italy. They’d been brief, but perfect.

 

Truthfully, Nico was glad they didn’t see much of each other. If they did, Percy would have time to get bored with him.

 

And Nico was two days away from beating Percy’s previous longest relationship. He felt guilty for asking Piper about it, but it filled him with triumph. Demigods were either flighty or completely loyal in their romantic lives, and he wasn’t sure which side Percy fell to. Back when his crush was a light, hopeless thing, Nico had been safe; he held no illusions that the son of Poseidon would ever return his feelings. The kidnapping and holding had been reckless. It was embarrassing to think back on, now. Percy brought it up jokingly now and then, just to prove that he’d forgiven the transgression. But now that they were together, Nico was no longer safe. He could lose Percy at any moment. So every day that he was still his boyfriend was a victory.

 

To dampen his impatience, he started collecting fresh firewood to start the fire. It was getting colder and if Percy meant to spend the night on the beach he’d need warmth and protection. Unlike most demigods who stayed at camp, Percy actually had a home. A mother. It unsettled Nico that he would rather sleep out in the open. He blushed, remembering the nights he watched over him from a distance, the force of his crush strong enough to get Aphrodite’s attention, so much so that she sent Jason through Piper to tell him to make a move.

 

The fire was only embers when the ocean suddenly split open, sending the tide out unnaturally far. Percy emerged, dripping wet as always. Normally the sight made Nico’s knees weak, but this time he scowled, worried. Somehow, his crush on the older boy had evolved from a singular fascination with his physical appearance to a deep and gentle caring.

 

“Get dry or you’ll catch cold,” he said.

 

Percy laughed and exhaled deeply. The water shot off him and pelted the sand. Nico took off his jacket and gallantly threw it around his shoulders. Percy grinned and used the momentum to allow himself to be pulled into Nico’s arms and kissed him firmly.

“I missed you.”

 

Nico blushed furiously and dumped the fresh wood on the pit. “I can shadow travel you into the city. You shouldn’t sleep out here tonight. It’s  _ September _ .”

 

“I’d like that, thanks.”

 

Nico nearly burned himself, startled. He’d expected a protest.

 

“I’ve been meaning to introduce you to my mom.”

 

Nico stared at him. “Your mom.”

 

“Yeah.” Percy went to the dock and rummaged around behind the rocks until he found the blanket and a small cooler. He spread the blanket out and took a bottle of water out of the cooler. He looked tired.

 

“You want me to meet your mom,” Nico pressed, his brain slowly processing. This was a big deal.

 

“She wants to meet you, too.”

 

Nico sat down on the blanket, tracing the patterns absently. It was a big blanket, textured like a towel. Nico suspected it had been a gift from Poseidon himself because no matter what, it resisted sand and water. Nico was grateful for the fire because he could feel his face heating up at the memories of the things that had happened on the blanket that proved how stalwart it was. Not even the wind riled it, and certainly not his and Percy’s… activities.

 

He felt so guilty thinking about those things and not about the much bigger step that Percy was leading him to, but the distraction was welcome. He knew that only one of Percy’s girlfriends had met Mrs. Jackson. Everyone had expected Percy and Annabeth to be together forever. They were still good friends, so much so that exactly a month after he and Percy started dating, Annabeth had shown up and reminded him not to squander what he had. He’d wanted to ask why it hadn’t worked out between them, but he also didn’t want to care. It worried him that Annabeth had left an impression on Percy’s mother. What if - he looked over at Percy to stop that train of thought.

 

“What have you told her about me, exactly?”

 

“Just about everything.”

 

Nico gripped the blanket. “Oh.”

 

“You could just say hi when you drop me off,” Percy assured him. “It’ll be late when we get there anyway.”

 

“Okay,” Nico heard himself say, because it was too easy to go along with whatever Percy wanted.

 

* * *

 

Nico shadow traveled them to within a block of Percy’s apartment, as he’d done twice before. Twice before he’d stepped right back into the dark. Tonight, though, Percy pulled Nico’s jacket snugly around his shoulders and reached out to hold his hand. They’d held hands on their dates and sometimes on quests together. It was strikingly more intimate than Percy’s mouth on his chest, on the line of his pelvic bone on the beach where it was private. Here, people saw them holding hands and Nico concentrated on looking at his feet and tried to keep from vomiting in happiness. Percy was his boyfriend and he wanted him to meet his mother. It was such a mundane thing. He could almost forget that he was the son of death and hadn’t had a normal life at all.

 

Percy led him into an apartment building and down a hallway. Into an elevator. They made out between floors. Nico was dizzy when the doors parted and he barely had time to collect himself before they were standing at the door and Percy was knocking. Demigods didn’t carry cell phones, but Sally Jackson came to the door immediately, as though Percy had texted her not a minute before.

 

Nico was struck by her life force. She wasn’t unremarkably gorgeous, but there was a strength to her, something about her posture and the way her hair fell over her shoulders. Nico could see why the sea god had chosen her.

 

“You must be Nico,” she said.

 

Percy draped his jacket back over his shoulders.

 

“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Jackson,” Nico said, pleased that he’d managed to form a coherent and appropriate sentence.

 

She smiled. “Thank you for walking Percy home. You’re such a gentleman.”

 

It was like being in a sitcom or something.

 

“Nico can’t stay, mom,” Percy spoke up. “He has as many responsibilities as I do.”

 

“Another time?” Sally Jackson said hopefully, genuine. Nico nodded dumbly. Percy leaned over and kissed his cheek.

 

* * *

 

Nico didn’t see Percy for three days more. Percy was waiting for him on the beach, roasting a marshmallow over the fire. His dark hair was a mess and he was wearing his most comfortable clothes. Nico guessed he’d been swimming for fun most of the day because he looked relaxed and he curled his toes when he smiled in greeting. It warmed him more than the fire to know that he could understand all of those things about his boyfriend. He wondered if Percy could tell how tired he was from working almost nonstop the past two days and how he’d like nothing more than a long nap on the beach blanket with Percy’s hand carding aimlessly through his hair.

 

By the way Percy kissed him - soft and slow - and then pulled him to his side without a word, he was sure he did.

 

He enjoyed these quiet times. 

 

Percy made him a s’mores and told him about the school of fish he’d befriended. He combed his fingers through Nico’s hair and they made plans to go see a movie once they both knew for sure that Jason wouldn’t assign them a quest.

 

Percy had almost pulled him entirely into his lap and Nico was in the comfortable, dreamlike place just before sleep when he felt it. He had no time to linger on how amazing it was that he could so easily find repose in the arms of someone he’d been intimate with for so little time. The sudden stillness of death shocked him into a violent tremor.

 

“Nico?!” Percy held him at arm's length and started to check him over, his fingers featherlight on his pulse.

 

“Someone is drowning,” Nico intoned.

 

Percy’s eyes widened and he bolted for the tide.

 

“Eight miles,” Nico struggled to call out, raising his arm to point. His body felt heavy. 

 

Percy ran back to the blanket and supported him. The water rushed up behind him and swept them up, pushing them out on a high wave. The death sense got stronger. Seven miles down the beach they heard the scream. They were flung out onto a spit of sand under the cliffs and Percy dove. Swirling white fabric drew Nico’s eye and it was over so suddenly the the life force leaving her body swept right over him. She was tossed high and deep and then hit the rocks. Percy came up, gasping, In his hand was a long white cord - the belt of her dress. Nico felt sick at knowing exactly how close Percy had been to saving her. He fought the sea, forcing it to calm enough to allow him to gently lift her body out. Trembling, Nico reached into her and cradled her soul in his arms.

 

“Can’t you - ?”

 

For a moment, Nico considered it. The soul was still bright.

 

“No,” he murmured, barely above the sound of the crashing waves. “Her death was traumatic and instantaneous. If I put her soul back she’ll be in a lot of pain. She’ll die again in route to the hospital.”

 

Percy looked away, out to the ocean. Nico felt the soul settle.

 

“I have to take her now,” he said. “Could you make sure that someone finds her body?”

 

Percy nodded.

 

* * *

 

Nico avoided the beach for days. He did overtime on all of his personal chores and retreated to his room when Hades told him to rest. A week went by, then two. Jason interrupted him on above ground assignments to tell him Percy was looking for him. 

 

“I'm really busy right now,” Nico dismissed. 

 

“I'm not assigning you anything for a while. Go see him.”

 

Still, Nico waited two more days. 

 

When he got to the beach the sun was hanging just above the ocean. Nico paced nervously. A random splash distracted him. 

 

“Son of Hades!”

 

A pale arm waved frantically from a small outcropping of rocks. A siren. Nico reflexively reached for his weapon. Her waving became more frantic. “I come in peace! I have a message from your  _ boyfriend _ !” She giggled. 

 

Nico approached her warily. 

 

“He says he's worried about you working so hard. He left you this,” she held out a large blue conch shell. “Hold it to your ear.”

 

Percy’s voice spoke to him as clearly as if he had been standing there beside him: Nico, I haven't seen you in weeks.  _ Please stay on the beach. I need to see you.  _

 

A rush of guilt overwhelmed him. 

 

“Thanks.”

 

“Don't mention it,” she said flippantly, splashing away. 

 

After she left, Nico started the fire. It was already dark. When Percy emerged from the ocean he looked wrecked, but as soon as he saw Nico he lit up and ran toward him, throwing his arms around him. 

 

“You're wet,” Nico complained without venom. 

 

“I've missed you. Where have you been?”

 

Nico stared down at the sand. Percy didn't seem angry.

 

“I… didn't think you'd want to see me after… you know.”

 

Percy's face darkened. “Nico,” he admonished softly. “I know what your burdens are.”

 

“You tried to save her.”

 

“I've lost people before. The sea is fluid and dangerous.”

 

“I couldn't bring her back,” Nico countered. 

 

“It was selfish of me to ask you to try.” Percy took a step back and siphoned the water from their clothes. “Is that why you've been avoiding me?”

 

“I'm sorry.”

 

“I'm just glad it wasn't something I did.” He took Nico and his arms again and kissed him.

 

They stayed up late by the fire, talking about the hardest things they'd done. At one point Percy vaulted the dock and disappeared behind a dune for a few minutes, bringing back a picnic basket and a bunch of blankets. 

 

“My mom wants me to invite you for dinner. She's introducing me to this guy she's been seeing.”

 

Nico promised he would, but not before Percy made him promise to get some rest for a few days.Then he showed him how he could record messages on the conch.

 

* * *

 

Before the dinner, Nico got a haircut. He bought blue flowers and got to Sally Jackson’s apartment early. 

 

“It's so nice to see you again, Nico,” she said. “Percy's in his room. I hope he actually cleaned like I asked him to.” She put the flowers in a vase on the table, ignoring Nico’s protests that they weren't that special. 

 

“They're beautiful, Nico. Thank you. Percy's room is down the hall on the left.”

 

The door to Percy's room was slightly ajar, but Nico knocked anyway. Percy pulled it open an instant later, flushed with excitement. He was wearing a soft blue button down shirt and he reached for Nico’s hands, guiding him over the threshold. His room was about as clean as he could get it on short notice; Nico could see stacks of things tucked under the bed and the top drawer of his desk wasn’t shut all the way. The top of the desk had a very old laptop on it and a few books on oceans and seas of the world. 

 

Percy squeezed his hands. “I’m so glad you came.” They sat on the bed and Nico blushed. These moments with Percy were so rare and perfect, the feeling of being a normal couple. The apartment was small enough that Nico could hear Sally in the kitchen.

 

“Should we help set the table or something?” he suggested.

 

“In a minute. I need to tell you something first.” He scooted closer to him on the bed and looked at him, piercing but gentle. Nico felt his heart stutter. “We haven’t been together that long, but I know that what I feel is real. I love you.”

 

Nico’s first instinct was to run, to throw himself into the shadows in the corner of Percy’s room. Instead, he looked down at their interlocked fingers.

 

“I didn’t want to say it until I was sure,” Percy confessed softly. He kissed Nico’s temple. “I love you so much.”

 

“Boys?” Sally called from the hallway, “We’ll be starting dinner soon. Percy, come set the table.”

 

Percy smiled softly at him. “We can talk more later.”

 

Sally had put the blue flowers in a vase in the middle of the table. He and his mom chatted happily as they all set the table and finished preparing the sides. Nico spoke up when they addressed him, but mostly he clumsily adjusted the tablecloth and stared at his feet. Percy  _ loved  _ him. He felt like he was walking on air. 

 

“Percy says you live with your dad full time?” Sally asked.

 

“Yeah, I have a lot of responsibilities.”

 

“I hope it’s not too hard on you,” she soothed.

 

“It used to be,” Nico admitted. What had made it easier was being friends with Jason. Finding Hazel. And Percy. His burdens seemed less heavier when he knew that he could see Percy at the end of the day once his chores were done.

 

“And how does your father feel about you and Percy?”

 

“I’m not sure.” Nico frowned. Whenever Hades mentioned Percy, he referred to him as ‘the Jackson boy’. “He’s not opposed.”

 

“My dad’s been meaning to talk to him,” Percy added, smiling. Nico’s stomach flipped. 

 

“Only if I can talk to my dad first.”

 

Percy kissed his cheek and Nico felt light again. Percy  _ loved  _ him.

 

Paul arrived on time. He was a nice guy. Percy took to him immediately. It was obvious that things between him and Sally were serious. As they ate dessert, what Percy had said finally caught up to him.  _...what I feel is real… I didn’t want to say it until I was sure.  _ Would he wait for Nico to respond when  _ he  _ was sure?  _ Did  _ he love Percy? He glanced over at him, smiling and laughing with Paul over a joke, Sally watching them fondly. 

 

He thought about how happy he was to be with Percy. He thought back to the first day he’d seen him. 

 

Percy had been working with the Hunters of Artemis on a quest. Nico hadn’t seen Bianca in two months and she called him via Iris message to help with cleanup. Percy and his two partners had been heading back to camp. Percy was stained all over with dirt and sweat. Nico managed to thank him for helping his sister but embarrassed himself by asking if being the son of Poseidon made him a good surfer. Nico didn’t see him again for almost two years, but he was much prouder of the second encounter because he managed to cut down a very large skeletal bird that had its talons in Percy’s leg. It had been a big battle, though, so they didn’t talk afterward. Soon after that Nico officially started managing heavier duties in the underworld, and he didn’t return to the surface for assignments until he was sixteen. The first thing he did was go to the ocean Percy called home. He didn’t show up that first night, but after he saw him again for the first time, Nico couldn’t stop going back.

 

He felt loved by Percy.

 

Paul volunteered to help do the dishes, and Nico excused himself. He had a few days of long assignments from his dad coming up.

 

“Come back soon, Nico,” Sally called as they headed out.

 

They walked a few blocks, Percy relieved that Paul was as great as his mom deserved. Even though he’d said they would talk later, he wasn’t bringing it up, which made it a lot easier for Nico to corner him under the eaves of a closed shop and kiss him. Percy smiled against his mouth because he love the rare times Nico initiated contact.

 

“I love you, too,” Nico said firmly.

 

Percy stared at him for a moment, dazed. It set Nico’s heart stuttering again knowing that Percy felt as elated at hearing the words from him as he had earlier.

 

Percy kissed him again, whispering  _ I love you _ over and over.

**Author's Note:**

> I've been writing this for a while because I felt like there was more to the first story I wrote. I didn't really care if anyone read it, but once it got to a certain wordcount I decided to post it. The series title and the title of this work are based on Cat Power's lyrics for "Sea of Love".


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